Small Charity Week
Celebrate with us!
Naomi Booth :: Monday 24th June 2024 :: This Story
This week Ocean Stars along with all Small Charities in the UK is celebrating Small Charity Week. In the UK a small charity is a voluntary organisation with a social or charitable purpose with an annual income of less than £1 million. This includes registered charities, community groups, community interest companies (CICs) and other structures.
Small Charity Week aims to:
- celebrate the contribution that small charities make to communities throughout the UK and across the world
- improve the knowledge, representation and sustainability of small charities
- highlight the work of the small charity sector to the broadest possible audience
- encourage public giving
- work with the small charity sector to develop political engagement at a national and local level.
As a small organisation we are able to pivot, change, adapt, and innovate on a quicker, speedier scale than a larger one. Lived experience is one of the key features of OST. As we at OST have greater involvement of people with lived experience the founding, running, volunteering for, and governing of the charity are done by people passionate about the work we do.
Helen Buckley, Communications Manager, Association of Chairs, reflects that "Small projects are often born out of, and sustained by, passion for a cause, meaning the people involved have a vested interest and real experience of the issues they are tackling."
Human connections play a key role in our charity and the authenticity and understanding that this brings is something we treasure at Ocean Stars Trust.
Colours and textures
in preschool
Naomi Booth :: Friday 14th June 2024 :: This Story
The students from Calthorpe Park School going to Sri Lanka in October 2024 had their fourth Parent Student meeting last week. We went through the itinerary and talked about the places we would be visiting.
Students spend time preparing for the cultural differences they are going to face when visiting Sri Lanka. The focus at this meeting was on Sri Lankan food and the staff going to Sri Lanka made hoppers so that the students could taste an authentic Sri Lankan item of food.
The verdict was the Hoppers were yummy and the palate for spicy food was awakened at this meeting. We would like to thank the staff and students from Calthorpe Park School Team 2024 for all their hard work in preparing for the trip and for their fundraising.
Calthorpe Park School
Fourth Parent Student meeting
Naomi Booth :: Wednesday 12th June 2024 :: This Story
The students from Calthorpe Park School going to Sri Lanka in October 2024 had their fourth Parent Student meeting last week. We went through the itinerary and talked about the places we would be visiting.
Students spend time preparing for the cultural differences they are going to face when visiting Sri Lanka. The focus at this meeting was on Sri Lankan food and the staff going to Sri Lanka made hoppers so that the students could taste an authentic Sri Lankan item of food. The verdict was the Hoppers were yummy and the palate for spicy food was awakened at this meeting.
We would like to thank the staff and students from Calthorpe Park School Team 2024 for all their hard work in preparing for the trip and for their fundraising.
Annual coffee morning
at Fleet Methodist Church
Naomi Booth :: Monday 10th June 2024 :: This Story
Our Volunteers gave up their time on Saturday to help out at our annual coffee morning at Fleet Methodist Church. A huge thank you to our team who helped with setting up, preparing the drinks, serving, and tidying up. A delicious range of cakes were donated and enjoyed by everyone especially the Rhubarb and Ginger cake which went in no time!! Plants were donated and everyone enjoyed buying flowers for their garden. Another successful morning of fundraising for the work of Ocean Stars Trust. Thank you to everyone who helped, donated and attended.
If you would like to organise a coffee morning or an afternoon tea then please get in touch via or website through email on oceanstarstrust@gmail.com
Thanks for fundraisers
creating events for Ocean Stars
Naomi Booth :: Friday 7th June 2024 :: This Story
As part of Volunteers Week 2024, today we would like to thank all our volunteers who give of their time freely to help us organise fundraising events. These events bring in much-needed unrestricted funds that enable us to empower children through education in Sri Lanka. Coffee morning, Bake sales, quizzes, Ceilidh's are some of the events that our volunteers have organised for us or helped out.
As Volunteer week 2024 draws to a close we would like to say a huge thank you to all our Ocean Stars Volunteers. You are all Stars .
If you would like to know more about our work or volunteer with us then please get in touch via or website through email on oceanstarstrust@gmail.com
Thanks to students and teachers
who volunteer for Ocean Stars Trust
Naomi Booth :: Wednesday 5th June 2024 :: This Story
As part of our week celebrating Volunteer Week 2024, we would like to thank all the students from Calthorpe Park School and other schools and Universities in the UK who have since 2005 given up their time to visit Sri Lanka and offer their time and skills to the local communities that we work with.
Thousands of schoolchildren have benefited from these visits in the UK and Sri Lanka. Funds raised by our volunteers have meant that 6 new preschools, two new music rooms, a special needs classroom, two preschool kitchens, three playgrounds have been built over the years. 6 Samba Bands have been established in schools in the Eastern Province. Some of the feedback we receive includes the following: an unforgettable time, I feel inspired by the work of Ocean Stars Trust. The charity is having a positive impact on the local communities. They have so little but give us so much in the way of friendship and human warmth and welcome.
If you would like to Volunteer with Ocen Stars Trust and make a difference to our communities then please contact us oceanstarstrust@gmail.com
Volunteers Week 2024
Let's celebrate them!
Naomi Booth :: Monday 3rd June 2024 :: This Story
This week is Volunteers Week 2024, and we would like to celebrate the work of our volunteers.
We would like to take this opportunity to recognise, celebrate and thank all our volunteers who make a huge impact on the work of Ocean Stars Trust.
We would like to thank all our volunteers who help out at our fundraising events and who also volunteer their time to fundraise for us. Sponsored events, coffee mornings, bake sales, danceathons, quizzes, afternoon teas and sponsored walks to name but a few of the ways our merry band of volunteers have supported us.
Thank you also to all the volunteers who have visited Sri Lanka with us and made a huge difference to thousands of children and families in Sri Lanka. Thank you!
If you would like to volunteer for the work of Ocean Stars Trust then please visit our website or contact us oceanstarstrust@gmail.com
The celebration of VESAK
On Wednesday 23rd May the Buddhist community in Sri Lanka will be celebrating Vesak.
Naomi Booth :: Monday 20th May 2024 :: This Story
"Vesak", the Day of the Full Moon in the month of May, is the most sacred day to millions of Buddhists around the world. It was on the Day of Vesak two and a half millennia ago, in the year 623 B.C., that the Buddha was born. It was also on the Day of Vesak that the Buddha attained enlightenment, and it was on the Day of Vesak that the Buddha in his eightieth year passed away.
In Sri Lanka most obvious sign that Vesak has arrived are the bright digital light designs, called thoranas, that are put up in Colombo, Kandy, and other Sri Lankan cities. These displays tell a story from the famed Jataka Tales in visual form. A second major sign is the presence of colourful lanterns positioned along streets and near homes.
Ride London 2024 for Ocean Stars
Support John in this challenge
Naomi Booth :: Monday 13th May 2024 :: This Story
Trustee John Bunter is riding 100 miles in a day for Ocean Stars Trust on
26th May 2024.in
Ride London.
You can sponsor him through JUST GIVING online
Just Giving
or via BACS
Account Name: Ocean Stars Trust
Sort Code: 30-93-32
Account Number: 02662990
Reference: Cycle
Intern Volunteers
Ocean Stars Trust welcomes young people who would like to volunteer as an intern with us.
Naomi Booth :: Friday 10th May 2024 :: This Story
In the past we have had students post A.-Levels, post University volunteer with us to gain firsthand experience of how a charity focusing on International Development works. We have also had students doing the Duke of Edinburgh award volunteer with us.
Last year we were very fortunate to have Thisiri Medagama, a postgraduate student from Nottingham Trent University do an internship with us as part of her master's degree in international development. Thisiri joined our Child Development steering group and helped us analyse data gathered from parent focus group interviews. The work that Thisiri completed with us went towards her master's degree and we would like to congratulate Thisiri for gaining a Distinction in her Masters.
Thisiri said " Thank you for giving me this golden opportunity. I cannot thank you enough."
If you would like to gain experience and volunteer for Ocean Stars then please contact us on oceanstarstrust@gmail.com